About Us

Our Team

meet the people behind your adventure

Everyone at Collette believes travel is vital to a life well-lived and our executive team sets the tone. Drawing on a diverse set of skills that includes operations, sales, information technology, law and financial planning, they work across three offices to bring you the best experience possible.

Dan in Egypt

Dan Sullivan
CEO

Dan Sullivan, President and CEO of Collette, has over 35 years in the travel industry. Dan's travel experience includes tour guiding, product development, sales, and marketing, as well as managing the corporate team and providing the strategic vision for the company.

As President and CEO, Dan has brought Collette from a regional tour operator to one of the most respected tour companies worldwide. He is responsible for such innovative first-to-market initiatives as launching a worldwide sales team and driving new product development to non-traditional destinations.

Dan is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP). He chairs the Collette Foundation board, Collette's global initiative to improve the quality of life of children worldwide. He is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors for Tourism Cares, an organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation of tourism sites worldwide for future generations. In 2007, he (along with his late father, Daniel Sullivan, Sr.) was inducted into the Tourism Cares Hall of Fame for his contributions to the community, through philanthropic endeavors and significant contributions to the advancement of responsible tourism.

Locally, he serves as Co-Chairman of the Pawtucket Foundation, an organization committed to the continued economic development of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Collette's home city. He is also a member of the Pawtucket Culinary Arts Initiative panel, which explores ways to promote better eating and nutrition, job growth and training in the culinary field and other aspects related to good diet and healthy foods. He serves on the board of Bristol County Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, as well as on the advisory board of the Fairfield University Center for Faith and Public Life, and the Providence College Council of Advisors. Dan is also a member of the Race to the Top Steering Committee for the Rhode Island Department of Education.

An engaged supporter of nonprofit causes including the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Boston Red Sox Foundation, Hasbro Children's Hospital and Hospice, Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence, and Amos House, he is also active with the Boys and Girls Clubs in Rhode Island.

A graduate of Fairfield University in 1973 with a degree in marketing, Sullivan graduated in 2003 from the Harvard Business School's Executive Owner/President Management program.

Paula Twidale
Executive Vice President

Paula Twidale is the Executive Vice President of Collette, a position held since early 2000. A member of Collette's Executive Committee since 1996, she serves on the company's Strategic Planning Committee which is responsible for examining policies, competitive position, and diversity with long-term perspective.

A travel industry veteran for 35 years, Paula began her career with Eastern Airlines, holding positions of Passenger Service Manager and Interim Director at Boston's Logan International Airport. She was recruited by Collette in 1992.

Among her many accomplishments, she implemented a Harvard Business School concept resulting in a system to enhance operational efficiencies within several departments that she oversees. She spearheads the Guest Relations Taskforce, which focuses on the overall quality of Collette's tours and experiences. She also developed a crisis management system to continuously monitor and communicate unforeseen events affecting the health and safety of travelers while on tour.

Paula has long been well-respected in the travel industry. Travel Agent Magazine has nominated her five times as one of the most powerful women in travel. She serves as vice chair on the executive committee for the United States Tour Operators Association. She is an active member of the Wings Club in New York.

In the community, Paula serves the Rhode Island Chapter of St. Jude Children's Hospital and is a Board Trustee for Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, a nonpartisan group that provides research aimed at improving state and local government. She is on the committee for the Flames of Hope Run/Walk Series to benefit the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation. She is an active volunteer with Tourism Cares, a nonprofit that brings travel organizations industry-wide together in the unified mission to help preserve, conserve, and protect tourism-related sites in America that need care and rejuvenation.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and a Certification in Gerontology. She has also completed the Executive Leadership programs at the Harvard Business School for innovation and strategy executive education as well as customer service and performance.

Bill Dziura
Executive Vice President of Information Technology

Bill Dziura is the Executive Vice President of Information Technology for Collette. A member of the company's Executive Committee, Bill has been with Collette for 20 years, starting as the company's Controller in 1992. He has been in charge of all Collette’s technology initiatives, systems, security and infrastructure for the past 15 years.

Among his many accomplishments at Collette, Bill spearheaded the successful overhaul of the Collette Reservation and Operating Systems. Most recently, he directed the company-wide effort to launch the Gateway, an interactive online tool that allows travelers and travel professionals to quickly access all of their Collette tour information and more. Through his leadership and vision, he has led Collette's reinvention of systems and processes resulting in improved service delivery and sales growth.

Prior to joining Collette, Bill worked at KPMG Peat Marwick in Providence for five years as an accountant and audit manager. Later, he worked for the corporate offices of John Brown Inc., in addition to serving as Assistant Controller at one of their divisions, Cumberland Engineering in South Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Bill is a graduate of Bryant College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, and holds a CPA certificate in Rhode Island. He obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Rhode Island. Aside from travel, he enjoys professional baseball, football, and soccer. He is actively involved in youth soccer. He is also involved in the mentor program for Year Up. Year Up is a one-year, intensive training program that works with urban young adults 18-24, enabling them to move on to full-time employment and higher education. Bill has also been actively involved with the March of Dimes for many years.

Melissa Wisniewski
Executive Vice President of Product

Melissa Wisniewski is the Executive Vice President of Product for Collette. At Collette since 1997, she oversees the Product, Operations, and Custom Tour divisions, and heads the Company's Product, Sales and Marketing Committee.

Melissa is responsible for developing and executing the company's product strategy, itineraries, and pricing for all product lines, including family tours, Explorations (Collette's small group tour division) as well as a new line of garden-themed tours under partnership with the esteemed Royal Horticultural Society.

After graduating with a double degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a JD from Boston University, a “Semester at Sea” instilled a love of travel she has yet to get out of her system. Melissa has more than 15 years of experience in product development, corporate strategy, pricing and itinerary creation. She is frequently asked to speak at tourism and non-tourism functions on topics including strategic planning, itinerary development and pricing strategy. She is also a member of the Pawtucket Culinary Arts Initiative panel, which explores ways to promote better eating and nutrition, job growth and training in the culinary field and other aspects related to good diet and healthy foods.

Collette is an escorted tour operator operating on all seven continents. Throughout our 96 years as a family-run operation, we have fulfilled the dreams of thousands of travelers. We would be honored to plan your next vacation.

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